A summer well spent at Holyrood PR

Intern Larissa reflects as the end of her leap into life at an Edinburgh PR agency looms

By Larissa Beck

EVERYONEsays it, but time really does go at the speed of light in the Holyrood PR HQ.

And, honestly speaking, at first I wasn’t sure I was cut out for the communications world. Everything was new to me – from a 9 to 5 working week to becoming a borderline journalist.

One month on, I feel I’ve come on leaps and bounds and couldn’t be more proud of the work and skills I’ve soaked up.

Highlights

Firstly, I have found my dream home – affordable only when I make it as a boss lady (as above). I was tasked with writing one of numerous releases for CALA Crescent, the upmarket development of all glass-front buildings, with sleek interiors, is sat on a UNESCO World Heritage Site – what more could you want? I was sent through a presentation document which covered all details of the project including the architectural drawings.

During Week 2, I had an early rise – 6am alarms are a serious struggle for a student – leaving with Videographer Seb for Kirriemuir in Angus for a day of drone filming. Launching the drone over a Bield property for some panoramic shots, it was fascinating to learn about the techy details of Seb’s first-born baby (AKA the drone).

When I received the news (literally when the newspapers hit my desk) that a press release I had written for the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) had been published by national newspapers I was over the moon. The story was a warning to companies about insider threats coming from employees.

Another one of my highlights was getting to tag along with Chris on a client meeting in Edinburgh – good job I wore my smartest office wear that day. We met with Surgeon’s Quarter to discuss their upcoming hotel expansion launch. I really enjoyed listening in and taking notes on their PR plans for the future.

Calling up strangers and pressing them for answers about their lives would be a daunting task for most interns, but it helps when the other person on the line is more than happy to have a chat. This was the case when I interviewed Paths for All volunteer, Anthea Wallace. I went on to draft a heart-warming release about how walking has created a lifelong friendship for her.

I have really enjoyed using Photoshop in the office, and have gone from never-before using the software, to creating montages on a daily basis. The task is almost therapeutic (if you know you know), so I was more than happy to complete any which were on the upload list.

As I mentioned in my first week blog, the team at Holyrood PR are simply amazing. To prove I’m not being biased and influenced by the copious cups of tea I’ve been made, they have just been nominated for 7 CIPR Awards! There was such a buzz around the office as the nominations were released one by one. I will be checking up on social media, keeping my fingers crossed for them.

Future

I feel like I’ve won an award after completing my internship at Holyrood PR, and I don’t think there could have been a better place for me to get my first taste of the PR world.

As I jet off to Barcelona for the next year, I will remember the past month fondly and I’m certain that all the skills my sponge of a brain has soaked up will be used down the line in my career.

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Scottish public relations agency Holyrood PR in Edinburgh, Scotland, runs a rolling programme of placements for PR interns, working alongside our team of PR experts. Many of the most successful PR interns go on to land full time PR jobs with our award-winning Scottish public relations agency.